Game Sevens and Mothers

It's been very busy at work, but I can take a breather now. Not much has gone on with L'Ailee and I. The New York State Assembly passed the same-sex marriage bill Tuesday night--yay! We're a bit worried about the Senate, however. I hope they understand, at least, how much money they're losing as couples like me and L'Ailee, or L'Ailee's best friend and his husband, or my best friend and her wife, go to MassVegas or one of the other states where we can be legal. We'll like David Paterson better if it passes.

I'm decorating my pregnant friend's nursery--she wanted some things redone, and that's okay--and I feel a little bit bad because even the no-VOC paint I'm using is making her feel a bit sick. L'Ailee's nose and palate are legendarily sensitive among our friends--she literally cleans the catboxes with a clothespin on her nose, and I can't put more than an atom of cayenne or paprika in her food without making her suffer. Mona says she knows how L'Ailee feels now.

We're still obsessed with the Stanley Cup playoffs. L'Ailee was astonished by the Ducks/Red Wings fight last night and hopes Pavel Datsyuk won't be hurt for Game Seven. And it looks like--toes crossed so I can type!--the Penguins might have Sergei Gonchar back for tonight. I'm still wondering when Tony Stewart will win this season (so close, dear Gods, so close!), and we're trying to vote Juan Pablo Montoya into the All-Star Race next week. (By the way, if you have a Sprint data account and use your handset to vote, it counts double. We're taking full advantage of this.)

We desperately needed a break from the TV, though, so we accompanied my beloved Yemaya O'Reilly, her wife, and their daughter to the beach on Mother's Day. They enjoyed surfing much better than a brunch or spa day, even though the conditions weren't the greatest. There's just nothing like the ocean for clearing the cobwebs out of your head. The really great part of Mother's Day, for me, was that my brother remembered, too. Too often, I have sent my mother cards and flowers, which is what she always says she wants, and then the fact that my brother forgot kills the day for her and sends her crying to me. But he remembered, and everyone had a good day. I'm immensely grateful for that.

Let's go Pens tonight, let's go Red Wings tomorrow! We both have our nails bitten to the quick!

Links, links:

Speaking of penguins, real ones can swim for an incredibly long time.

The NYPD has a record of being horrible to transpeople, both victim and offender. Please see the article at Queers United, then sign this petition asking the NYPD to adopt a policy of just treatment for transpeople.

Yay, we might have another female Supreme Court judge! But boo....the nominees are being judged on their weight!

Patti Wiginton, About.com's Pagan/Wiccan guide, is requesting photos of handfastings, or weddings, for a photo gallery. It's that time of year!

An open letter to Kyle Busch by a writer who disapproves mightily of his attitude. Funnily enough, the things he hates are things that L'Ailee and I both love. To quote my wife, "Is he supposed to say, 'Oh, I am so *delighted* that I crashed, my hands were getting tired anyway, and I don't have any more space for a trophy right now'?" Her incredulous tone is harder to capture. :-)

Annnd, I quote L'Ailee again! In Siberia, the non-Russian tribes are holding an election for a Supreme Shaman, a religious leader to unite the various shamans there. Shamanism is experiencing a revival in Russia. L'Ailee was born and raised in Siberia and has a non-Russian Siberian grandmother; her first reaction was, "What, why? The healers don't need a patriarch, they need freedom." This seems to be a common sentiment among the Siberians, too.

Finally, could the end of voice mail be nigh? Truly, I hate voice mail, except when L'Ailee leaves me an interesting message while I'm at work, and texting is easier even for that.